'Yes in God's Back Yard' Act Could Fast-Track Church's Affordable Housing Mission

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  A U.S. senator is helping faith-based groups fight America's housing crisis. As families struggle to find places to live because of skyrocketing home prices and rents, Virginia Democrat Mark Warner hopes to ease the problem by helping faith communities create safe, affordable homes. 

Southeast Tabernacle Baptist Church, a historic cornerstone of Washington, D.C., is celebrating 96 years of service and a proud legacy passed down through generations.

"My great‑grandfather, he's the founder of the church," said Daryl Flood Jr. of S.E. Tabernacle. "At that time, he provided housing to many individuals moving from South Carolina and North Carolina into the D.C. area."

The church helped accomplish this over the years by buying land surrounding the church site and building affordable homes.

S.E. Tabernacle's Senior Pastor, Rev. Donald Isaac, explained, "The church on one corner, another 14‑unit apartment building on the second corner, and then 70 units in between."

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That mission continues under Isaac, who describes the church's latest vision—purchasing an entire block and building affordable apartments.

"On the higher floors, there would be residential housing," Rev. Isaac said.

The first phase of what will be called First Street Village includes an 80‑unit building.

"We believe that economic stability is fundamental. And a part of that is having a stable living environment and having a roof over your head. So the church has committed itself to use this land, as we own it, to address the affordable housing crisis in the city," Rev. Isaac said.

After five years of development planning, Isaac says technical compliance and loan‑approval hurdles have delayed the start of construction. If passed, Senator Warner's Yes in God's Back Yard Act could help speed up the process

"We've got so many churches that have got either an aging congregation or excess land," said Sen. Mark Warner (D‑Virginia).

If Warner's bipartisan bill becomes law, churches and faith‑based organizations that develop or preserve affordable rental housing on their property would receive grants and technical assistance, including help with zoning and permits.

"We need to do everything we can on supply. This is not a problem of demand," Warner said.

This aligns with Chamber of Commerce data showing a "fundamental imbalance between supply and demand" straining the U.S. housing market, contributing to a shortage of nearly five million homes. Senator Warner sees the Yes in God's Back Yard Act as creating a two‑fold solution.

"If you've got a declining congregation, where you can generate some revenue to keep the church going—as well as start on the supply issue," Warner said.

The affordable housing crisis contains complex layers.

First, there's availability. According to Urban.org, while several cities have a supply of affordable rental units for those with low incomes, few of those units are actually available to the individuals who need them most.

And while Warner admits the initiative won't entirely fix the problem, he says, "We think it is at least part of the solution, and it just kind of makes common sense."

Rev. Isaac agrees. "The fact that this legislation recognizes that and provides resources is invaluable and indispensable—very important to facilitate the work."

The Yes in God's Back Yard bill would extend beyond churches to synagogues, nonprofits, and higher‑education institutions that own underdeveloped land. Its passage would help ensure many Americans—including veterans and low‑income families—have a place to call home.